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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
William T. Sha
Nuclear Technology | Volume 1 | Number 6 | December 1965 | Pages 538-545
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT65-A20580
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effective resonance temperature (Teff) correlation of UO2 pellets based on experimental power coefficient data from PWR cores, namely, YANKEE, SAXTON, BR-3, and SELNI, is presented. The correlation can predict the total power defect of reactivity from hot zero power to full power within experimental uncertainties and Teff at any power level within ± 80°F (± 45°C), a magnitude which constitutes no more than ± 6% of the value at full power for current PWR design. With the ± 80°F uncertainty in Teff, the magnitude of the power coefficient of reactivity can vary as much as ± 30% in the low power region and ± 20% in the high power region. This study indicates the temperature drop in the gap between the pellet and clad is much lower than the value calculated for it in the past.
